Love is Innocence
by N-Kaina-E
Summary: Three years ago Bella Swan left Forks after getting her heart broken twice, by two different people. Now she is back and things are very different. Bella can't sneeze without it being in the media somewhere, which makes keeping the biggest secret she has ever had to hold that much harder to keep under wraps. In comes Paul Lahote. Full summary inside (ran out of characters)
1. Full Summary

Full summary

Three years ago Bella Swan left Forks after getting her heart broken twice, by two different people. Now she is back and things are very different. Bella can't sneeze without it being in the media somewhere, which makes keeping the biggest secret she has ever had to hold that much harder to keep under wraps. In comes Paul Lahote. They are destined to be together according to her grandmother and anyone that has ever been in the same room as them and even she can't deny her attraction to the gorgeous werewolf. But staying with her dad while writing for her new album is supposed to be her down time and a relationship just isn't in her plans. But the words 'down time' just don't exist in Bella Swans' life.


	2. Chapter 1

New and improved Love is Innocence

I do not own Twilight. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer. But I do own the plot and story line. Unless it is something you recognize from the books or movies.

Chapter 1

I wiped my sweaty hands on my black leather waisted shorts, breathing deeply as I did so. This has been going on for the past couple months and no matter how many stages and no matter the state, I still felt like my puke was going to be everybody's business in a couple of minutes before I got on stage.

Over the past three years my confidence level has been boosted up and I can definitely say that I am not that meek little girl who blushed over everything and had two left feet.

But it seems that matter how high my confidence level is, stage fright will forever be a part of me.

I know that I am just psyching myself out. Once I get on that stage and lose myself in the music with my fans cheering me on all my worries will be gone and stage fright will be far in the back of my mind.

Mark, the stage manager, started his usual countdown before it was time for me to go on.

"Alright Bella in five...four...three...two..." And his voice was just a sound in the back of my mind as the round platform lifted me up on stage a huge grin on my face as my fans roared my name.

I released a shuddering breath before starting

"It's my last big breath what you want me to do? When you act all cool like you already knew  
>that I'll be stuck here cold just waiting it through, 'Til your heart starts beating for that somebody new. You know that it's true" I sang softly, dragging out the words.<p>

A small smile formed on my face as I felt myself grow comfortable in my element.

I spent the next two hours gliding around the stage stage singing songs from my EP Beautiful People with the fans singing with me word for word, interacting with them.

As always I took a break in the middle of the concert to take a breather, talk to my fans, and answer questions from twitter.

When the concert ended I said goodbye to the fans and ran off the stage straight to my dressing room thankful to be done. I let out a deep breath as I dropped like a sack of potatoes on the red velvet couch, just staring at the ceiling. Not a minute later I could hear the clicking of heels on the hardwood floor, then my door opened and Cassandra, my manager, popped her head in.

"Can I come in?" She asked her familiar voice bringing a smile to my lips

"Of course. You don't even need to ask."

She smiles then stepped fully into the room and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her outfit.

"How many pencil skirts and blouses do you own Cassie? Can't you wear something else?" I say a teasing smile on my face.

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes at me and when she didn't respond with a witty retort like she normally does when I make fun of how she dresses, my eyebrows creased into a worried frown.

I met Cassie three years ago when I was just starting out as a singer. She was a guest at a party my step-dad Phil threw in honor of me recording my first single _Unwanted_ and we got to talking without knowing that Phil had invited her because he wanted her to become my manager in the first place. And now here we are manager and client. Although she is more my sister than anything now. A very much older sister.

Cassie is drop-dead gorgeous. Sometimes I call her Snow White because she fits the description to a tee, with her midnight black hair, porcelain skin, and ruby red lips. Her body, which was always covered in knee length pencil skirts and blouses, is long standing tall at 5'10 without heels. She is also model thin, though not too skinny. But the most beautiful feature that Cassie possesses is her eyes. They are the most shocking and icy blue that I have ever seen, with flecks of white swimming around. Most people are scared to look into her eyes because they say that it feels like she is seeing into their souls. They feel like she can see every though, dream and moment of their life and it was totally true. Makes her a great manager.

The knock out beauty was born to a Wiccan family nearly three centuries ago with a beautifully rare gift. Rarer than even empaths and it is basically what people think it is. Most say that eyes are the windows to the soul, well for her that is true in every sense of the saying. Whenever Cassie looks into sometimes eyes she can see everything about them. Anything they have ever done, thought or said, it is all in her brain, like a book laid out for her to read. When she was turned into a vampire nearly three centuries ago her talent or curse as she calls it only enhanced. You'd think with what I am I would be immune to her gift but nope.

"Why the serious mug, Snow White?" I joke sitting up on the couch. She plopped ungracefully-very unusual- on the chair that was behind her and stared at me for a while before saying

"Nothing." She replied her shaking her head which made her ponytail swish behind her. I gave her my 'stop trying to lie cause you suck at it' look before she sighed and said

"I'm just worried about you. I mean you're going back to Forks tomorrow and I don't want you to get hurt by seeing those people again. Can't you just ask your dad to meet you up here? Chances are you'll run into at least one of them somehow." Her blue eyes soft and compassionate.

All the things that she just said, I have thought about and while I may not be ready to see Jacob or Billy or anyone else who rejected me all those few years ago, I am ready to see my dad. I mean it's been three years. And I told her just that.

"I understand. Just call me if you need to talk. I'm always here you know that. Now get your lazy behind up and get dressed, we have an M&G to get to." She laughed and with that the serious air was gone and we were back to joking as I changed into winter ready clothes, after changing out of my performance outfit which was surprisingly comfortable black leather high waisted shorts and a loose blouse that I tied on the side with a rubber band because I didn't have time to tuck it in before the concert had to start.

I slid on my black American Apparel leggings, wine colored open stitched jumper with a white tank top underneath, a beige Faliero Sarti scarf and brown City Snappers women riding boots. For accessories I put on French Connection Pyramid Earrings, Brown Cross Heart Ring which went on my middle and ring finger, and a Sydney Evan Love Ring which went on my index finger. Last but not least my favorite accessory was my trusty Louis Vuitton Neverfull Purse Blog, which I took everywhere with me, full of junk.

"So what do you think?" I say twirling in front of Cassie, a huge grin on my face

She responded by saying "You look like you're going to be late!" a perfectly manicured brow arched.

"Such a Debbie downer" I sigh playfully.

We grab the rest of our stuff and leave the dressing room walking towards were the meet and greet was being held. With my enhanced hearing I could hear the exited chatter and occasional scream of my fans which resulted in a huge smile spreading across my face as I prepared to lose myself in my fans.

I spent the next hour talking to fans, signing autographs and taking pictures with the girls and surprisingly guys that were backstage. Honestly, it's during times like this I'm happy that I can't get tired easily. This makes me have more respect for the human singers who go through this.

When the meet and greet was over and the fans left reluctantly, I grabbed my purse from its hiding spot and then left the KeyArena. When I got outside there was already a taxi waiting for me, and I quickly got in swimming through waves of paparazzi with the help of some bodyguards. Finally I was able to relax in the backseat after telling the driver to drop me off at the Maxwell Hotel. While in the backseat I texted Cassie to tell her that I was on my way to the hotel, then I go on twitter and tweeted

**_ Isabelle: 50 city tour is over. Break time. Thanks for the support. Love you my #Belles_**

When we reached the hotel, I paid the driver and got out of the taxi. Again I was almost blinded by the fleet of paparazzi outside the hotel who didn't seem to know what personal space is. After wrestling my way through them not in the mood to answer questions I finally got inside the hotel breathing a sigh of relief. A couple minutes later I was leaning against the elevator door relaxing a bit with the key card in hand to the Prima Donna suite. Finally in the room I took a long bath, removed all my makeup and then changed into some comfortable PJs before snuggling into the heavenly sheets on the king bed. Although I was dog tired, sleep was just not coming to me so I turned on the TV and watched reruns of my favorite show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Even though I knew very well why sleep wouldn't find me I refused to admit it. I was scared. Something I haven't been in a while. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to handle seeing Jacob. I was scared that my secret would be revealed in the little time I would be there. But most of all, I'm scared that Charlie wouldn't accept me anymore after I left him without a word three years ago.

My original plan was to go to Forks tonight and sleepover, but honestly I couldn't handle that. My old bedroom had so many memories that if I slept in there, I would lose my mind, and I would suffocate under the feelings that that bedroom brought to me. Now I would go to Forks in the morning, catch up with my dad and run back to California that night.

Since I left Forks three years ago I have barely step foot in the state of Washington unless it was necessary, scared that I would run into someone I knew. This is the first time I have been this close to Forks since leaving and I can't handle the thought of being this close to Charlie and not seeing him.

I spent the next hour watching Buffy kick ass before sleep finally overpowered me, my mind uneasy even in slumber as I awaited the day that was coming. Oblivious to how much my life was going to change tomorrow.

The link below is the link to Bella's concert outfit and the song she sang at the beginning of the concert is Beautiful People by Cher Llyod. But in this story it is sung by Bella originally. Does that make sense?

albums/k333/Neisha_Etienne/Selena-Gomez-in-concert-in-London_

Hope you enjoy


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day I woke up from a restless sleep at around ten o'clock. The whole night was spent dreaming about my dad turning me away and him telling me that he hates me in many different scenarios.

I spent the rest of the morning in bed trying to push back the inevitable for a least a couple hours. By the time 12 rolled around my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts but it was time to go as the drive from Seattle to Forks would take at least three hours.

So I dragged my behind out of bed and ordered room service when my stomach threatened to eat it self. Instead of waiting for the food to come I took a quick five minute shower before picking out the clothes I want to wear from my suit case. Which consisted of black and navy blue tights, a white shirt that said "I heart L.A" in black. I paired them with an oversized black leather jacket I had stolen from Derek and black studded combat boots that reached under my calves. I then applied a bit of foundation to my face to help protect it from the cold, black liquid eyeliner on my lash line then finally two coats of mascara.

After getting dressed I grabbed my purse from yesterday and my two gigantic suitcases from the tour that had been brought up to my room while I was sleeping, before finally exiting. When I got to the main lobby I checked out, then started to walk all the way across the hotel and hopefully out the back door to avoid the fleet of paparazzi outside.

It is way too early to deal with these annoying asshole who don't understand personal space and have yet discovered the magic of breath mints. "Please God let me make it to my car without being stopped," I prayed under my breath.

"Ms. Swan!" A voice from behind me called out.

No such luck.

I sighed, hoping it's not a fan before remembering that the fans can't come inside the hotel unless they booked a room and they certainly wouldn't call me 'Ms. Swan'.

Turning around I saw a cute bus boy around my age walk-running towards me pushing a cart. When he reached me I gave him a smile and raised my eyebrow.

"Yes?" I couldn't help but smirk at the slight blush that rose on his cheeks.

"You...uh...you forgot your breakfast" and as soon as the words left his mouth my stomach rumbled and it was my turn to blush.

I gave him a grateful smile and lifted the cover of the plate. Instantly the smell of eggs and bacon wafted into my nose, and my mouth watered. Right in the middle of the hotel lobby I picked up the fork next to the plate and started eating. People walking around the lobby looked at me in disgust but I couldn't care less. Honesty if these people understood my hunger they would look like that. Food hasn't been in my mouth since before my concert yesterday afternoon. I inhaled the food and within minutes I was done and downing orange juice. When I looked down the cover was placed back on the plate and the bus boy had an amused smile on his face. But I just shrugged and gave him a smirk before turning around and walking away.

When I got to the back door of the hotel two security guards that I recognize from the tour were standing next to it and when I gave them questing looks they both said "Ms. Taylor" I rolled my eyes but didn't comment knowing that Cassie probably compelled them to come here with me and stay with me until I at drive away from the hotel safely. She knew perfectly well that I could take care of myself but she wouldn't Cassie if she wasn't such a worrywart.

Annoyance flashed through me as I arrived outside to see the paparazzi surrounding my car. Cassie can be too smart for her own good sometimes. The guards surrounded me as best they could, and pushed their way through the mob of paparazzi. I didn't even pay attention to the questions they we're asking me. Just kept my head down and focused on not becoming blind from the flashes of their cameras. Finally after what seemed to be an hour but was probably only a few minutes I reached Carter, my beautiful white Range Rover Evoque that was a bribe from Phil (story for another time) and got inside, locking the door after saying thank you to the guards.

As soon as I got inside the car I pulled out my car keys and started the car. I waited a while to make sure that I wouldn't run anybody over when I started driving. I then plugged my phone into the car and relaxed as Lana Del Rey's haunting voice filled the car.

It took two and a half hours to get to Forks instead of the usual three with my "crazy ass driving" as Derek calls it and by the time I pulled up to Charlie's house it was only 3:30. My stomach was trying to cave in on itself and all I could think about was food, food, and more food having only eaten the half empty bag of chips I had found in the car halfway through the drive.

The whole drive I was on autopilot, my thoughts focused on what I would say to my dad when I saw him for the first time in almost three years. But nothing seemed right so I decided to just let things go however they go. One thing my heart and my mind did agree on though was that there would be no crying. At all.

By the time I noticed the other cars in the drive way, not just my dads' cruiser, it was too late.

Of course there would be witness to my painful and embarrassing reunion with my dad. I'm surprised the paps aren't popping up out of nowhere with their cameras to get my shame on film.

Dealing with other people was the last thing I wanted to do right now, but I couldn't do anything about it as the door opened and Charlie came out with a moving box in his hand. My throat closed up and the back of my eyes started to sting. Jesus, I'm not even here for five minutes and tears are ready to come out. Before I had time to restart the car get the hell out of there like the coward I had suddenly become, Charlie squinted at my admittedly suspicious car with its fumed windows.

"Can I help you?" He asked, intensely trying to look through the window and I felt like he could see straight into my cowardly soul. Though that was kind of stupid seeing as he couldn't even see through the fumed window. I knew what I had to do even though I was dreading it. I had to woman up. Grabbing my purse with one shaky hand, I opened the car door with my other, also making sure to grab my phone. With one last deep breath I exited the car.

Recognition. That was the first emotion that passed over my father's age weathered face before shock replaced it.

He froze.

I froze.

Tear welled up in his eyes.

His mouth opened and closed several time before, as if he had so many things to say he couldn't choose which thing to say first.

"Bella? Oh my God, Bella." He whispered before running towards me and wrapping in a hug so tight that if I were human I wouldn't be able to breath.

Almost immediately the smell of his tears reached my overly sensitive nose and I cried.

Not just regular 'tears streaming down the cheeks' either but loud, ugly _bawling._


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When I left home with only a note to my father three years ago, I knew it hurt him. Hell, the pain in his voice as he pleaded with me to come home over voicemail almost tore my heart to shreds but I hardened it and deleted the message, needing to move on.

Forks is the place that tore me down.

My parents divorced not long before my first birthday because my scatter brained mother wanted more than my father could give her. She filed for divorce and ran from Forks like the devil himself was on her heels all the way to Arizona, dragging me with her. Or at least that's what I heard when I went to visit my father the next year.

Up until sixth grade I spent every summer in Forks with my father before I finally started to resent him when my mother fed me lies about how he didn't fight for me and could care less about me.

For the next three years we moved from place to place as Renee switched boyfriends like she did her outfits, until finally she met Phil Johnson, a pitcher for the Miami Marlins, towards the end of my eighth grade year in Phoenix. Less than two months later they got married. To be honest I have no idea what Phil sees in my mother, he's a successful major league baseball player and she's a scatter-brained gold digger. But I try to not judge. Try.

Then mother dear decided that I was taking Phil's attention away from her - as he cared about me more than she ever would- and sent me to live with Charlie for high school, telling my father that I chose to live with him because she wanted to travel with her new husband and I didn't want to get in the way. Lies. But I went along with the story.

In the beginning I hated Forks, and having to go to school there made it worst. School is awful enough, but when it's a small town and all the kids have known each other since diapers, its worst. Only Jessica, Angela and Mike made an effort to get to know me and unless I was with them I was all alone, having no choice but to listen to Lauren and her crews' snide comments.

That is until I met _him. _And then the rest of his family.

I honestly to this day have no idea what caught his attention in the first place, because while I wasn't ugly, I wasn't exactly Lauren with her gorgeous blond hair and slim body. It couldn't have just been the fact that I was the first person whose mind he couldn't read. I hope not.

Edward Cullen and his family changed my life.

Not only were they beautiful in an unnatural way and the most popular people in school, but Edward was two grades higher than me and they never let anyone into their close family circle. All of a sudden everyone was kissing my ass to get closer to them and the bitchy comments stopped.

Not only did the relationship last longer than everyone-including me- expected it to, but also I found out one of the most heavily protected secrets in the world. The reason behind their unrealistic beauty.

They were vampires.

I honestly wasn't as freaked out as I should've been. Instead I accepted them, my obsession with Edward - which I thought was love - growing stronger every day. Alice and Rosalie became my sisters, Esme and Carlisle became my second parents and Emmett and Jasper became my brothers. But them being vampires only added to my insecurities, making me think I didn't deserve them, and that they would figure that out and leave because they would forever be beautiful while I would grow old and die. I was just an unimportant human. Through all these fears I carried on, brushing aside how Edward began to control every aspect of my life and his possessiveness, cause hell, I was lucky to have him. A mediocre looking high school freshman with no special talent, who the hell was I to question this beautiful immortal god. That's what he was to me. A god.

And I should've known it was too good to be true. But the relationship lasted close a school year and I almost forgot that he was out of my league.

A week after my fifteenth birthday and disastrous birthday bash where Jasper tried to make a meal out of me, Edward ended our relationship by having me follow him into the forest and telling me that he doesn't love me, I was just an experiment but he couldn't have me getting hurt on whatever conscious he had left.

I don't understand why he couldn't have told me this in front of my house but hey, what do I know.

So anyway, clumsy me decided to try and follow him, blinded by "love" but of course I got lost and was stuck in the forest for a couple hours and worried the hell out of my dad, and then was found by Sam Uley just before a giant ass black bear attacked me.

Months passed, and like a robot, I went about school and work. Heartbroken. Not feeling much of anything and hurting my father in the process. Not that he ever told me, but I could see it in his face every time he looked at me. My father is a strong man and he stood by me. I took him for granted. Just like Renee did.

Summer came and so did Jacob Black.

I knew from the beginning that my father sent him to hang out with me at first. But that didn't matter and soon, we were on our way to being best friends. I gained color in my cheeks and put weight on my bones. I didn't look like an extra for the Walking Dead. I was happy sitting in his garage and watching him work on his Rabbit.

But as they say, nothing lasts forever.

It wasn't long before Jake was giving me excuses about why he couldn't hang out with me until, he stopped picking up the phone in general. That's okay though, because he sent me a detailed email explaining that he didn't want to hang out with me anymore and the only reason he did in the first place was because of my father. I didn't believe him, but left him be. I knew when I wasn't wanted.

That was the final blow, though.

With a heavy, broken heart, I used the black card Phil had gotten me all those years ago and bought a one way plane ticket to Miami where Phil and my mom had been at that time. The next day, I made my father's favorite meal for dinner while he was at work and left a note next to it explaining my disappearance.

Never in my life have I seen or heard my father cry. Ever. Not when his mother died. Not when Renee filed for divorce. And not when Renee dragged me away to another state. My father is the type of man that keeps all his emotions in.

So for him to be crying into my shoulder, while holding onto me so tightly I almost couldn't breathe, broke my heart. I knew I hurt him, but not to this extent.

"You're back." He whispers softly

"I'm back."

He held on to me for a couple more seconds before pulling back and holding me at arm's length just starring.

"God, you look so different. My little girl all grown up." His face is red. From the tears or the cold, I'm not sure.

"I'm so sorry, daddy." My voice cracked. I can't remember the last time I called him that.

He looked like he would start crying again.

A cold wind blew, making him shiver.

"Can you follow me in your car? I'm headed h- to the reservation. They're expecting me," He said through clattering teeth.

Of course.

Here I was, naively hoping that Fate would be on my side.

"Can't I just wait for you here till you come back?" I questioned with hope

"Uh- sorry Bells. I'm gonna be down there for the rest of the day." He avoided my eyes. I let it go.

Not knowing what else to do I reluctantly nodded my acceptance, stomach heavy with dread.

Physically I wasn't the only that had changed. The side of my father's head was now peppered with gray hair and so was his ever present cop mustache. His frown lines were more visible on his forehead and so was the lines around his eyes and mouth. My poor father looked like he had aged ten years in three. A little feeling that twisted my heart told me I was to blame.

Charlie still had his hand around my wrist and my heart clenched painfully when I noticed the reluctance in his eyes. As if he was scared that I would disappear the minute he released my wrist. The back of my eyes stung.

"I'll be right behind you, dad." I whispered, comfortingly

After a few more seconds of hesitation he nodded and released my wrist with an embarrassed smile on his lips.

I walked back to my car, aware of Charlie throwing looks over his shoulder to make sure I was still there. God, I'm such a self-centered bitch. I've reduced my father to this shell of a man. All because I was stupid enough to trust my heart to people who didn't deserve it.

Tucked warmly in my car, I released a shaky breath and ran my hand around the steering wheel in a failed attempt to calm my out of control heart. I stared out of the fogged windshield in front of me lost in thought. I would definitely be seeing Jacob face to face for the first time since before I even ran away from Forks. What I will say to him is beyond me. I still had hope that I wouldn't see him, but, well, Fate hates me.

The sound of my dads' car shook me out of my thoughts. There is nothing I can do now but go with the flow.

He pulled out of the drive way and started the drive down to La Push, with a reluctant me right behind him.

I forgot to ask him who all those cars in the drive way belonged to.

The drive went by fast. Way faster then I would've preferred, but then again I would prefer to not be in La Push at all.

We pulled into a house I recognized as the Clearwater's and I frowned at the flood of memories that ambushed me from just staring at the house. My dad dropping me off here while Billy dropped off Jacob so Sue Clearwater could watch us while they went fishing with Sue's husband Harry. I had baked my first batch of cookies inside that house with Jacob and Sue as my assistants. Images of a bossy six year old running around the kitchen with a wooden spoon in her hand and flour in her disheveled brown hair crashed into me. Oh, what I would give to go back to those simpler times.

My dad tapped on the window and nodded his head towards the house signaling for me to get out of the car. I stared at him through wide eyes and shook my head, knowing full well he couldn't see me.

For the second time in less than thirty minute I extended my hand towards the passenger seat and grabbed my purse and phone. I sat still for a couple minutes, only my eyes moving as they followed my father walking up the front steps of the house.

"Charlie, honey? Is that you?" The familiar voice of Sue Clearwater questioned inside the house.

Why is married Sue Clearwater her husband's best friend "honey"?

Confused, curious and tired of being a coward-but mostly curious- I opened the car door, the cold wind that smacked me in the face acting as a "snap the hell out of it" type thing.

Taking _another_ deep breath-my lungs are going to get stuck from all this deep breathing- I finally stepped out of the car, releasing a surprised squeak when all of a sudden the sky opened and released all it had. Thank God for super speed because the moment it started rain I ran up the stairs of the porch and stood under the protective overhead.

Hesitating, I peered into the house, not really shocked to notice that the house mostly looked exactly the same as it did all those years ago. Except now a chair that looked suspiciously like Charlie's favorite one was in the corner. He probably lost it in bet to Harry or something.

When I heard my dad mutter "I'll be back" to Sue in a frightened voice I finally stepped inside the house and closed the door behind me.

My dad appeared from around the wall that blocked the kitchen from the living room, searching frantically, until his eyes landed on me and relief washed over them.

"You're still here." He breathed "Thought I had imagined you for a second." And there goes my heart

"I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon dad." The lie tasted bitter in my mouth

Even if I wanted to I wouldn't be able to stay in Forks. Not with what I do for a living now. My contract with Interscope records states that immediately after an EP and U.S tour, I would need to start working on my debut album right away. But even without that, I wouldn't want to stay in Forks or La Push anyway. My poor dad doesn't need to know that though. Not yet.

"Charles, who are you speaki-"Sue Clearwater froze mid-sentence. Her eyes flashed from me to my dad and back again at an alarming speed.

"Bella?" She gasped "How?" Not waiting for an answer to her own question, she rushed towards me and pulled me into a hug that was almost as tight as Charlie's had been. Between the two of them, I could see broken ribs in my future.

How I didn't notice it before I don't know but suddenly the amazing smell of food wafted into my nose and my stomach's growl rivaled that of a grown dragon. I don't even need to describe the blush that crept from the tip of my toes all the way to the tips of my ears. A very motherly Sue grabbed my arm and guided me into the kitchen with my dad following.

There was not an empty space in the kitchen. Dishes and plates full of food covered every inch and the amazing smell of the home cooked food made my mouth water. I could tell that some stuff was still cooking in the oven.

"Are you opening a restaurant in your house Sue or are you planning on feeding a small army?" There was that much food in the kitchen

"A bit of both, actually." She giggled

Meanwhile, dad stood against the wall in the kitchen looking at me with a 'out of body' look on his face. As if he couldn't believe that I was really here. Just when I was about to ask him to find a quiet place to talk, my very disrespectful stomach made itself known again and this time Sue took pity on me.

"Oh you poor thing. Have you eaten anything all day?"

"I had breakfast at the hotel." I shrugged though in my mind I was pleading with her to give me some of the amazing looking potato salad not far from me.

She must have noticed me eyeing the dish because she grabbed a Styrofoam plate and a plastic spoon then headed towards the dish. She grabbed the serving spoon leaning against the dish and scooped multiple spoons onto the plate and placed a piece of fried chicken thigh then handed it to me. My mouth watered.

"Here you go, honey. You can go eat in the living room. As you can see there is no space in here." She gave me a kind smile. Only Sue would stack a plate full of food for me after not seeing in so long without asking any questions.

I followed her instructions and headed to the living room, giggling when I heard the 'thwack' sound of a spoon flying through the air and hitting skin, then my dad's yelp.

I sat gingerly on the worn couch, making sure that my food was balanced on the palm of hand and made myself comfortable before stuffing my face with the delicious salad.

My dad dragged his feet into the leaving room and I sent him a lop-sided grin, giggling when he turned red up too his ears.

"We can share." I offered

"That's okay, Bells. Eat up." He said with a soft smile

We sat in an awkward silence while I inhaled the food on my plate to satisfy my angry stomach. Charlie twitched in his seat before he finally picked up the TV remote on the coffee table and turned it on to ESPN. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his predictability.

I cleared my throat.

"So," he looked up "uh….what's all the food for?" I hate awkward silences.

"Do you remember Sam Uley?" when I nodded he continued "Well he's getting hitched in a couple weeks. We're having a bonfire to celebrate."

I couldn't find it in myself to be happy for the man who saved me from getting my face ripped off by a bear because all I could focus on was the fact that Jacob is friends with Sam. In fact he stopped hanging out with me when he and Sam got closer. Any hope I had of not seeing Jacob before I left was just strangled and thrown out the window.

"Oh. That's nice."

Cue awkward silence.

Even before I left Forks my dad and I didn't talk much. Not because we didn't like each other or anything but because he is a man of few words. But those silences were never awkward or uncomfortable and the fact that they now are is a swift punch to the gut.

My dad cast his eyes towards the kitchen before shaking his head and saying to me "Lets head upstairs to talk." Which was followed by a huff from Sue in the kitchen that had me grinning.

Picking up the now empty plastic plate, I was about to head to the kitchen when Charlie stopped me.

"You can leave it on the table." He shrugged

I hesitated "Are you sure?"

He nodded so I put the plate back on the table.

My dad walked towards the staircase on the side of the living room and I slowly trailed after him, heart beating loud. We reached a closed door and he pushed it open, gesturing with head for me to head in.

The room we are in was bare. Plain white paint, twin size bed against the small window and a single light brown dresser. I couldn't even smell anybody in it.

I must have had a confused look on my face because dad explain "This is the guest bed room,"

"Oh, okay."

We both sat on the bed in silence again for a while before I couldn't take it anymore.

"I am really sorry." I whispered

"It's okay-"He started

"No. Not it's not." I interrupted

"Leaving Forks was the best decision I could've made." Charlie winced "But the way I left- the way I left was cowardly and stupid and just plain selfish. I shouldn't have shut you out. I cut you off and that is the only thing I regret and I am sorry. I could've called or emailed. Anything. And what's worse is that it's not like I planned to never contact you—I just didn't." I ranted, my voice breaking.

Charlie didn't say anything, just wrapped his arm around my shoulder and held me to him while I cried on his shoulder.

"Bells, I understand. I really do. You had to protect yourself and I'm glad you did. It was breaking my heart to watch you fade right before my eyes. First that Cullen boy, then Jacob. Jacob had his reasons—"

For the second time I interrupted him. "Are you _defending_ him?" I question, outraged, while jumping up from the bed to stare at him dead in the eyes.

"Well, no. I'm – I'm just," My very red faced father was save from becoming a stuttering mess by the sound of the front door banging open and a loud 'WHOOP' downstairs.

My dad turned to look at me with wide eyes. "The boys are here."

"What?" I must have heard wrong.

"Yeah, they must be here to take the food down to the beach for the bonfire." My father had a sympathetic smile on his face.

Fate really is a bitch.

Here I was hoping that I would have at least a couple hours.

"Mom, whose car is outside? That is a _nice_ ride!" A voice said downstairs and several more voices backed his statement. Curious little beasts.

Oh fuck. Several voices.

"Focus on getting the food down to the beach, Seth." Said the stern voice of Sue. Bless her heart.

"You don't have to go down there until the bonfire if you don't want to." Charlie said from the door.

I just nodded and sat back down.

"I'll be downstairs of you need me." With a smile, he disappeared out the door.

With a heavy sigh I plopped down on the bed and ran my hand through my hair, pushing my side bangs back, and rolling my eyes when they just fell back stubbornly onto my forehead. I couldn't hide out in this room because eventually I would have to go downstairs and I rather it be now so I can get the awkwardness over with, than to ruin Sam's night with it.

With those selfless/selfish thought I lazily rolled out of the bed not really in a hurry. I could hear the bustling of people going on as the door opened and closed with cars taking off and pulling in. Hesitantly I opened the door and started shuffling slowly down the hallway that would ultimately lead to the staircase and another emotional moment or moments. For the second time today in less than two hours. This day just keeps getting better and better.

"Who's upstairs, Charlie? You got us in suspense here man." There it is. That voice. The voice I used to associate with happiness and the sun. Jacob is here.

For the hundredth time today I froze.

I am well on my way to becoming a statue with all this freezing I seem to be doing.

I breathed in shakily and paused, shocked that I didn't notice it before. Shapeshifting werewolves. I long ago figured out that if the Cullen part of the Quileute legend was true then so was the wolves' part, so I wasn't that shocked to smell supernatural creatures in the Clearwater household. Especially since they are part of the town council, which meant that Billy probably knows too as the tribal chief. But I assumed that since the Cullen's left town long ago, the wolf gene wouldn't be triggered in those that had it. Guess I was wrong.

Finally after all these years my brain put it together. In the legends the chief of the tribe is also the Alpha of the pack. And since I'm sure Billy isn't rising out of his wheelchair to lead a pack of wolves, Jacob must be the Alpha. Or at least a wolf.

I wonder how much they know about the supernatural world or if they are ignorant to all except their wolves and the Cold Ones.

God, I'm slow.

The sound of a glass breaking and Sue yelling snapped me out of my thoughts.

This day can't get any more interesting. Just this morning I was lounging on my very comfortable hotel bed in my beautiful hotel room and now in less than two hours I've had a teary reunion with my father and now I am about to have a reunion with my ex-best friend who I've figured out is an Alpha and that might be the reason he ditched me and broke my heart.

Who said Bella Swan's life wasn't normal.

Again I began my slow walk (a blind grandma 80 year old walks faster than I am right now) down the annoyingly short hallway, pausing when I reached the top of the staircase.

The first person to notice me was Quil. I didn't even know he was here. He did a double take before falling silent. Which was a fantastic accomplishment for him. I only recognized two of the boys in the living room – Embry and Seth – everybody was new to me but they fell silent to. Jacob was nowhere to be seen but I could hear him in the kitchen, moving around. Charlie was leaning against the wall that separated the kitchen and the living room with a proud smile on his face.

I continued my journey down the stairs my eyes on everything but the devilishly handsome, buff and shirtless guys staring at me with slack jaws. I don't really have to ask what is in the water in La Push because I know very well. They oozed pure manliness. Even baby Seth who couldn't be more than sixteen but looks twenty-five.

Jacob must have heard the pin drop silence and wanted to know what the hell was going on because he walked out of the kitchen with a huge grin on his handsome, tan face.

"What got you guys to finally shut up?" He didn't notice me yet "Not even an Alpha- "He noticed me

His reaction is identical to that of his pack mates. Slack jaw, wide eyes, silence.

He picked up his jaw first though, and started to walk towards me as if getting a closer look at me will help him believe what he is seeing and that I was actually in front of him.

"Bella?" He breathed, shock coloring his voice.

"Jacob."

I'm baaaaack. This chapter is my Happy New Year to you guys and I hope you enjoy it. I rushed to write this chapter and there might be a lot of grammar errors. If you notice any please point them out specifically.


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